Of Creepy Old Houses and Surprises

 Hello, Attic lovers! This week I'm featuring something that I featured before, but I'm going to go into more depth on it today. Plus, I found out something about it when I was researching it, which is kind of fun!

When I was a kid in the 1970's, another kid at school mentioned that our local hobby shop (yes, those really did exist) had gotten in some HO scale Haunted House kits. I, of course, had to check that out as quickly as possible, having a train layout AND liking haunted-type stuff! In due time, I was the owner of an Alexander Models Haunted House kit!

Building this kit was different from the other kits that I had built because it was made out of balsa wood with cardstock and cast metal doors and windows! It was just the right amount of challenging and cool, so it ended up being a pretty good model.

Unfortunately, it was lost through several moves and adulthood. So, I went to find a replacement, only to find that they were out of production. Turning to eBay, I actually found a bairly started kit!  I snatched it up and started building again! Here she is!

Let's walk right up to the front. All of the roofs are embossed card stock cut to shape. Lead wire runs along the ridges. The lightning rod is tilted on purpose...

We approach the side and see the bay window. The roof to the bay window is a solid hunk of balsa, carved to shape, as is the chimney

Speaking of the chimney, here you go! Whoever had started the kit actually carved the chimney. It's about all that was done but I appreciate it!

The other side is fairly plain... By the way, windows were left out of this kit by the previous owner, so I used scotch tape.

The bottom of the house shows the balsa construction.

The whole house was painted with a gray wash...

I actually kept the box! It was in rough shape when I got it, and it hasn't gotten any better...

True 1970s hobby vibe!

If you wonder where the prototype is, it isn't anywhere! They made it up!

Here's the stuff still in the box...

The plastic fencing didn't come with it. I'm planning on using it one day when I put it on my future layout...

Yes, I kept all of the little leftover bits and pieces...

Here are the instructions! Have fun reading! They really do have some good tips, though...

This sheet was much more useful to me. Pictures! Yay!

So that's how I got my haunted house back!

I mentioned that there was a surprise to this post, and here it is. When I was researching the kit, I found out that they've rereleased it! Now if you want to build this kit you can buy a whole new one! Yay!!!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Of Oil Tanks and Mighty Whistles

 Greetings Attic Visitors! Today we have an item from the same lot that gave us the spotlight car! This was a Facebook Marketplace purchase of a plastic tub full of HO train stuff from a few years back. Since I have yet to begin to build my new layout, they've just been sitting in the tub. I figure if I start going through it again, it might encourage me to focus on that future layout a bit!

Anyway, here we have a piece not from Tyco, but from Bachmann; the mighty Diesel Horn!!!

Yes, it looks rather like an oil tank for Shell Oil, but that's just a disquise, you see! Let's open it up!

Inside you see the tank divided into an upper and lower part.

Flipping the upper part over, we can see the electronic gizmo that produces the sound. We can also see the red button that triggers it.

The two pieces slide together easily, making a rather convincing oil storage tank. I like how the stairs line up pretty well, but then again I'm easily amused.

So, how does this mighty horn sound? Well, you're in luck! With the help of my trusty 9 volt battery, I was able to test it out! Here you go!

Mighty Horn!

Ok, so it's not exactly wonderful. I was expecting more, but this was made before digital sound technology, so this is what you get. It reminds me more of a whoopie cushion than a train horn, but maybe that's just me.

By the way, here's the back of the box...

So there you have it! A kind of interesting piece, but not too exciting. Still, I'll keep it and might even use it!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Restoring a Memory

This broken, rotting piece of yard furniture was my grandmother's. She would sit in the backyard in the mornings with a cup of coffee and read her Bible. After she passed away, I ended up with it and although I don't care for coffee and I read my daily scripture on my phone, I still used it in my back yard.

I had painted it for her about 50 years ago, and again, with my wife, about ten years ago. Still, even with a couple of layers of paint and primer, the Texas weather did a number on the wood. Finally one leg gave out completely and it collapsed into the broken pile you see here. A sad day, indeed.

However, I had patched it up when we painted it the last time, so I thought I could do it again! Most of the parts are easily found at Home Depot, after all! So, with my trusty credit card in hand, I went on the first of four trips to said Home Depot to start my journey... 

Step one was to replace the rotted legs. This was pretty easy because they were simple 2x4s on one side...
 

...and 2x4s with a one inch diameter dowel counter-sunk into them on the other. This meant that I had to buy a counter-sink bit for my drill and learn how to use it. As it turns out, it's very easy to do! This was good, because I was going to end up using it a lot on this project! 

A tricky part with the project was that all of the bolts had to be cut off with my Dremel tool. They had all rusted to the point where they couldn't be removed any other way. It was a pain...

By the way, I used the original wheels. They just slide onto the dowel and can move back and forth on it. The legs on this side are shorter due to the size of the wheels.

Ok, so now it stood up. That was progress. The back rests were next on the list. They are made from simple 2x3s and one inch dowels. 

As it turned out, I could use the existing 2x3s on the left side seat (facing it). I glued the new dowels in and used a couple of screws with big washers to hold the top together (Home Depot trip number two...)

The right side seat back was going to need a complete rebuild though, as wood rot had destroyed them. The table top had rotted as well. The board in the middle was ok because I had replaced it when we last painted it. The outside two were pretty much paper.

Upon pulling those board off, I found that the table legs had also been hit with rot. Off they came as well...

...leaving this. This project was suddenly becoming a "Grandpa's hammer" situation. In fact, I could have replaced the armrests, but it wasn't completely needed and I wanted to save as much of the original piece as I could.

The right seat backs required a counter-sunk, angled notch on the bottom and four one inch counter sunk holes in each for the poles. Considering I was figuring stuff out as I went along, it came out pretty well, I think!

Then I mounted the new 2x3 table legs. They went on pretty easily.

 

The table top is made out of a 2x6 (Home Depot trip number three). I used my power circular saw on this part, as I didn't feel like cutting anything that big with my hand saw (I used the hand saw on everything else). The middle board was the one I changed when we last painted it.

After realizing that I needed deck screws to mount the table (Home Depot trip number four) I got it all together! And then it started raining. 

Next we'll need to paint it again, but we can wait until the rain goes away for that. It should be good by next week.

So there you have it! Sturdy enough to last another few decades (I hope!) Not a bad job for a guy who really didn't know what he was doing!

And why did I do it? Wouldn't it have been easier to just junk it and buy a new one? Yes, but it wouldn't have been my grandmother's chair (mostly, anyway). And now it still is!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Redline Garage

 As you know, if you've been reading this blog for a while, I collect Redline Hot Wheels. These cars were the first Hot Wheels made, between 1968 and 1977. Of course I try to get cars in good condition, but sometimes you get examples that could use a little help. Case in point, this 1968 Silhouette!

I got this car in a ten dollar bag of "almost good" cars I found on Facebook Marketplace recently. The bag would have been worth much more, had the cars been in decent shape. But, alas, the nicest car is also one of the most common cars out there (a 1970, black interior, Jack Rabbit Special) so it was a "good" buy, but not a great one. Here's the Jack Rabbit...

One of the cars that got closest to being nice was the 1968 Silhouette pictured below. The blue paint was pretty nice, and even the wheel chrome was pretty intact, however it was missing it's bubble windshield and the front passenger side wheel flopped around like a dead fish. Still, there was something to work with there.

I ordered another windshield from an outfit called Second Chance Redlines that makes reproduction parts. It was 10 bucks, so I effectively doubled my investment, but I thought it was worth it. I intended to slide the new glass into place without disassembling the car, but when I got it I found that this was impossible. Also, that floppy wheel really bugged me, so I decided to drill. 

I'll now take you through the process of restoring this car! The fact that we don't have to paint it simplifies things quite a bit, by the way. That would involve stripping off the old paint, buying special Spectraflame paint from The Redline Shop and using an airbrush. I've done it plenty of times, but it's a hassle!

So, here's the car, as found. The new "glass" is there too. You can see how that front wheel is sticking way out at a weird angle.

Flipping it over, we see our targets. The two silver rivets; one in front and one in back. They are all that's holding the car together.

Our handy-dandy drill will take care of them, though! Starting with the smallest drill bit I own, I carefully drill guide marks on each rivet...

Then, once I have a spot to place the tip of the drill, I go to a larger bit to start really removing rivet metal. 

Once the rivet heads are gone, the car pops apart easily! (The wheels pop off and on easily too)

And here is the problem with that front wheel! You can see the wire on the right has come out of the guide pin. The wire on the left is what its supposed to look like. Fortunately, a little spot of CA glue fixes it right up!

Here we have the parts of the car (sans glass).

So, I'll set the glass in the body...

Next, the chrome plastic engine and side pipes go in...

...followed by the interior...

Here's a good shot of the fixed right front wheel. CA glue (commonly just called "super glue") works great! Especially when you hit it with a little accelerator ("Zip Kick")

The body and chassis are put back together. A dot of CA is placed on each rivet hole and hit with Zip Kick...

And then you wait a few seconds for everything to set! This is a good shot of all the tools used on this project. The funny shaped metal object on the bottom right is a special wheel straightener. The bottle on the top right is the Zip Kick. The CA glue is on the bottom left.

And here we have the finished car! 

Now, it must be noted that since this is now a "restored" car, it's worth about half of what an untouched car in the same condition would be worth. Still, I like making them like new again, and it displays pretty well!

So, there you have it! Now you can fix a Hot Wheels Redline! Or at least you know how it's done!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!